Unintended Consequences of Using GPL Fonts

innocent_white_lamb writes "An interesting discussion has surfaced on the Scribus mailing list. Simply stated, it appears that using GPL-licensed fonts in a document makes your document subject to the GPL. There are a lot of consequences here, such as internal corporate communications. It appears to make the use of GPL fonts undesirable in almost any document." Yes, it sounds crazy, but the experimental font-exception addition to the GPL (linked from the discussion) lends the idea some credence.

Comments

Font Exception to the GPL

[negative3]

You can add the following text to create an exception when distributing the font:

"As a special exception, if you create a document which uses this font, and embed this font or unaltered portions of this font into the document, this font does not by itself cause the resulting document to be covered by the GNU General Public License. This exception does not however invalidate any other reasons why the document might be covered by the GNU General Public License. If you modify this font, you may extend this exception to your version of the font, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version."

This is and addition to the GPL, and is also an "experimental" addition.

I found it here: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-faq.html #FontException

Re:Doubtful

[m50d]

I'll defend it. If it's my font, in that I hold the copyright, I can impose whatever conditions I like on you distributing documents made of it. I can say you have to stand on your head and whistle the national anthem whenever you distribute a copy of any document with my font in it. If you don't like it, find another font.